Exposing the ELCA has documented that the ELCA’s official website supports and promotes Universal Salvation, the belief that “everyone will be saved.” Within a section called “What We Believe,” on a page dealing with “Salvation” the denomination states:"Because Jesus is the unique and universal Savior, there is a large hope for salvation, not only for me and others with the proper credentials of believing and belonging to the church, but for all people whenever or wherever they might have lived and no matter how religious or irreligious they may have proved to be themselves. It is clearly God’s announced will that all people shall be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2:4)."(ELCA webpage has been taken down but an internet archive website has it here)This is not the only mention of this false teaching on the ELCA website. On “The Resurrection” page, is a subheading “Resurrection for all?” The ELCA document, after first saying that most of the verses in the Bible say not everyone will be saved, goes on to say, "(B)ut ELCA members also look to New Testament texts that go beyond those parameters . . . Lutheran theologian Joseph Sittler coined the phrase ‘Cosmic Christ’ in his 1952 address to the New Delhi assembly of the World Council of Churches, saying, ‘It is now excruciatingly clear that Christ cannot be a light that lighteth everyone coming into the world, if he is not also the light that falls upon the world into which everyone comes.’"

A little later it states, “For ELCA members, the resurrection that completes the victory of Christ over sin and death is not intended for Christians alone.”

The article continues,

"Beyond that,

our belief that Christ came into the world to redeem the world (John 3:17)

our belief in the proclamation that God has ‘a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth,’ (Ephesians 1:10)

our trust in God’s righteousness

causes us to bear witness that Christ, the principal of creation, is also the principal of the new life initiated by his resurrection for all creation. For St. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:19, ‘in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.’

ELCA members believe that, being ‘entrusted’ with this message of reconciliation, we are to proclaim this salvation intended for all humankind, this redemption of the whole world, this resurrection to new life.” (webpage has been taken down but an internet archive website has the page here)

This is on the ELCA’s official website, and it is contained in a section called “What We Believe.” Is there any doubt the ELCA is preaching Universal Salvation?

To read more evidence that the ELCA teaches and promotes Universal Salvation see here.

Why do they ignore John 3:18, then? I'm still at an ELCA church, only for the sake of my wife, who's son is now in Afghanistan. She doesn't know about this universalism heresy yet, and our church has been her support system for over half her life, so I'm keeping quiet for the sake of her well-being. But I pray for the day that our congregation would leave the ELCA, or that the ELCA would eventually die out. Bishop Hanson and his minions will probably never repent...

at the present time, we are having a discussion at church on leaving the ELCA. Last night, we were allowed 20 minutes to make our case - less time than those attending spend buying a pair of shoes. We had a 10 minute video, that counted toward our 20- minutes. After, in a discussion with the pastor and a member of our group - He stated "yes homosexuality is a sin" but he is staying with the ELCA". I have been misled all these years, - I was lead to believe the ministry was a "calling not a job" - - He, in conversation with me stated, "my job is on the line". Nothing we presented was challenged as "false", their group, including the pastor presented "feel good comments".

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Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ​1 Thessalonians 5:21

Dan Skogen

Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word.

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